Dry ore-concentrator.



A. a. KIDNEY. DRY ons GONGENYTRATOR.

APPLIOATIN Hum 001.231, 1911. Patented Aug. 20 1912 1,036,260 4 SHEETS-sum1 A. H. KIDNEY. A DRY ORE GONGBNTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED O0T.31,1911.

1936,26@ I Patnta ug.20,'1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN T OR Attorney A. H. KIDNEY.

DRY ORE GONGENTRATOB.

APPLIOATION FILED 00131, 1911.

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IN VEN T 0R f Allarm] A. H. KIDNEY.

DRY ORE CONGBNTRATOB.

APPLIGATION FILED 00'1131, 1911.

Patented 'Aug'. 20, 1912.

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sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED KIDNEY, F ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 INTERNATIONAL-CON.- CENTBATOR COMPANY," 0F NEW YORK,'N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK DRY ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

To ali fio/rom t may concern.' Be it known .thatlaALrREn H. KIDNEY, a

citizen of 'the United States, residing at-` Orange, in county ofy Essex and j' State of New Jersey, have invented certain`new and' useful Improvements in Dry Ore-Concen-l trators, of which the following is a specifica-ltion.-

My invention relates to an improvement' in dry ore concentrators,l and it relates to that class, of concentrator in which regu lated air force or suction is used to separate elements oflighter--specific gravities, usually` silicious compounds, from the heavy mineralized portions.' lof' ores in a granulated state,'while being stratified accordi-ng to their specifclgravity on reciprocating tablesand moving toward a discharge end. This has :generally been indifferently accomplished by application of air force counterto the moving'm'asa'c'reating a frictional sweeping movement -of the particles of lighter speeificgravity from the heavier bed mineraloalong .its surfacelto ajwaste dis charge. Or it has been doneby .air suctiong through perforations in raised portions of a: reciprocating table, whereby the materialsof lighter gravity were more orfless drawn` from the heavier by being lsucked down-v wardly through said perforat-ions and dise.

' charged in the usual manner. The first of the foregoing operations is primitive and crude. being subject to two unfavorable conI ditions, namely the volume of air force re-` uired to remove the greater portion ofthe g partition between the top lighter material acts also upon a considerable: portion .of .the heavier, resulting in large. losses; and, on the other hand, modification of the an'. force operates the other way, leaving a large quantity of waste in the mineral.

The second method mentioned is also subject 'rating action. The feed being sensitive to toninfavorable conditions, the perforations being arbitrary, or of fixed size, beco-me more or less clogged, modifying the air forte, and prevent-ing a proportional amount of sepathe discharge, over-feed occurs, the granulated ore banksup on the table, overflows theperforations, and is sieved through in an unseparated state.. Variation of speed also promotes t-he same conditions.

. The object of my present invention is to separate the lighter gravity constituents of ores from the heavier by more direct and less Speci'cationvof L etters Patent. Patented Augjo" 1912 Application fiiea october a1, 1911.

seriai No. 657,703.

frictional action,to provide against unfavor.; able conditions heretofore specified, effect a higher degree of separation, -and attain a greater volume of capacity. This-I accomplish by the use of al lvacuum ohamberor suction bo'x of conformable shape to a recipy above the harmony with the volume of air suction employed, the vacuum chamber or suction box being provided with a-plate'iof proper area, which has elongated slots inthe direction of, its length, fixed rigidly to the forward bot-l 'tom section of the box: A second correspondingly-slotted plate is adjustably'placed upon the rigidly fixed plate Within the box, and provided with means outwardly to regir. .late more or less the movement along its length, making available the full area of the said slots or fractions thereof in proportion tothe cutting-off mov-ement.. In this'struc- Iture, is provided meansvfor creating large o r lsmall apertures as' adapted to various sized ore granulations, andat the same time create a markedand varied proportional effect on the air force employed. most favorable to perfection'of operationandH highest extraction. rfhe'regulated suction force being adjustably placed over the material, of.

1 lightest specific gravity, 'it is separated from 4the under bed mineral iby striking upward', Aoperating with a minimum o-f friction and separating action on the heavier body.

Other distinctive features 'are an elastic of .the table and bottom of the suction box to prevent backing up of ore fed t-o the head of the table against the canvas throat or lining of the air suction passage, and'whicli also accommodates itself to the independent up and down movement of the suction-box. I My invention further contemplates a pneumatic joint to prevent the passage of air be 'tween the sides of the frame and the suction box, Pneumatic tubes are received into the Sides of the suction box along its length,

. making an air-tight junction with the inner sides of the table frame, and permitting free 'upftnd' down adjustable movement.

My invention further consists in a tube connected with the bottom outlet of the feed hopper, and passing through the suction box to the table carrying ore fed to the in certain of the table, Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the onstruction shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a horlzontal section through the vacuum chamber or suction box, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the table 'snowing the riffles thereon, F ig.7 is a view of the slotted adjusting grate, Fig'. 8 is a bottom plan'viewi. of the suction box, Fig. 9 is`a view showing.:v

the suction fan in a separating box.

A, represents the framework of the machine. In the bottom of the framein the form illustrated in Fig. 1, the suction chambei' B and the usual suction fan 1 are provided, and the partitions 2, 2, withl the outlets for the tailings and middlings, if there be any.

The table 3, is suspended at its upper end on hangers 4, and at its lower end on means 5 and 6 for adjusting its inclination. The table is reciprocated by means of any approved head-motion?. The upper surface.

of the table is provided with riiiles 8, 8. These are preferably divided into two sets, separated a short distance from each other as illustrated by the smooth space 9 in Fig.

6. The table isA closed at its upper end, and open at its lower end 10 for the discharge of the concentrates. The table itself and the riies are preferably imperforate.

A vacuum chamber or suction box 11 is hinged at its upper end as 'at 12 to the table, and fitted at its sides betweenl the sides 13, 13, of the table, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and any approved means 14 is provided adjusting t-he vacuum chamber or sucbox with respect to the rifed surface of the table, thereby regulating the space between thebottom of the vacuum chamber or f suction box and the upper rifHed surface of the table. To insure an air-tight joint at the sides, which is essential, the pneumatic tubes'15, 15, are placed in recesses formed to receive vthem in the sides of the vacuum chamber of suction box, as shown invFigs. 2 and 4, these being inflated at all times whereby theleakage of air at the sidesis pre eluded, all air being drawn in through the discharge end of the table and thence' up:- wardly through thev bottom of the vacuum.

l Vchamberor suction box through the narrow elongated yslots16,1716, provided for that purpose. To insure proper distribution and zig-zag or shillyfshallying of the ore in the space between the bottom of the vacuum chamber or suction box and the riitled surface of the table, the bottom of the former is ribbed as shown at 17,17, in Figs. 2, 4, and 8, these ribs preferably alternating with the `ritiles as shown in Figs.- 2 and 4, and the slots'16, 16, being through the ribs and not into the spaces between the ribs.

An adjustable grate 18 is arranged'aboveI the slotted portion of the fioorjor bottom of the vacuum chamber or suction box with slots 19, 19, correspondingin size and position with the slots 16, 16, l-`of the bottom or floor of the vacuum chamber or suction box. Any approved means, such as the screw 29 at the lower end of the vacuum chamber orsuction box, is employed for'sliding the grate up or down tolregulate or vary .the Size of the openings .through the bottom of the vacuum chambertor suction box to` suit requirementsjan'd conditlons for the differ,

ent grades of ore being treated.

To obtain a more delicate adjustment ,of the bottom of the vacuum-,chamber or suc tion box for purposes of alinement with respect tothe table and to vary,the size of the vacuum chamber, adjusting rods 27, 27, are provided. The rods 27 are connected to the bot-tom of the chamber and have their free ends passing loosely through the-top where thumb-nuts'28, 28, are adapted to.

screw down upon-them for raising the bottom, and springs 29, 29, encircling the rods between the top and 'bottom are provided to maint-ain the alinement of the two members and to force the bottom -downward when the nuts 28 lare unscrewed. In some' instances, it may be necessary tol increasev the suctionin the chamber or to choke a por-`y tion only so that thel air will pass at a greater velocity over that portion and this may be done by adjusting the bottom. lIt will be seen that the space above the riiiies may alsobe adjusted in the same manner. From the bottom of the hopper 21, a tube 22 leads through the suction box or vacuum chamber and discharges at the upper end of the table, asshown in Fig. 1, so that the feed of materialr from the hopper is not interrupted or interfered with by the upward currents of the lighter material drawn through the slots in the bottom o-f the vacuum chamber or suction Vbox upwardly, as indicated by the arrows, and thence downwardly through the passage-way 23 into the chamber B, where the tailings and lmiddlings, ifv there be any, are received'and discharged in the usual manner.` 7

An elast-ic partition 25 extends betweenL the top of the table andbottom of the vacuum chamber or suction box to prevent backing up of ore fed to the head of the table against *thel canvas throat or lining of the air .suction passage23, `and which also -I accommodates itself to the independentup and down movement of the suction box.

In Fig. 9, the/suction chamber B is shown oii at. one side instead of being in the bottom of the frame A, and a tube 26 extendsk from the vacuum chamber or suction `box 11.

In operation, the table is reciprocated at the. speed required, andthe fan is rotated to create the desired suction. n drawn in through the end 10 of the table, and up through slots 16 and 19. The'size of these are regulated by adjusting the grate. Thematerial is fed in the hopper 21, and downlthrough the tube 22 on to the upper riiiied surface of the .table where it is kept in a constant state of agitation. -In the processof stratification', the lighter material, as it descends on the table above the heavier minerals, is sucked off to the nearest slot 16, and` thence through the vacuum chamber or suction box, in the direction indicated by the arrows, and out throughthe passage 23 into chamber B, and the clean concentrates fall ott' at the yend 10 of the table. In this way, a table of large capacity is provided for eiectually separating the values from the gangue. v

More or less slight changes might be resorted to in the form and'arrangement ot the several parts described without depar ture from the spirit and scope of myl invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein set forth.l

but

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dry ore concentrator, the combination with an imperforate shaking table,'0f a vacuum chamber or suction box adjustably connected therewith, and having passageways therethrough, with means for circulating a current 'of air over the table, and

vthence into the vacuum chamber or suction box whereby to carry ofthe light particles at the top, .s o that clean concentrates are leftto'dis'charge at the outer end of the table.

2.' In adr'y ore concentrator, tionI with animperforate shaking table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box adjustably connected therewith, the bottom 1` of the chamber or box being adjustable to vary. its parallelism or alinement with the upper surface of the table and having passage-A ways therethrough, with means" for. circulatmg a current of ai-r over the table, and

thence into the vacuum chamber or suction box whereby to carry off the light particles at the top', lett to discharge at the o uter end of the table, and means for regulating the size of i vthe passage-ways into the vacuum chamber or suetionbox. V

3. In a dry ore concentrator, the combmation with an imperforate shaking table, of a The air is v the combinaso that clean concentrates are lvacuum chamber or suction box adjustably connected therewith, the bottom of the parallelism or alinement with the upper surface of the table and having passage-ways therethrough, with meansffor circulating a current of air over the table, and thence into the vacuum chamber or suction box whereby to carry oli the light particles at the' top, so that lclean concentrates are left to discharge at the outer end of the table,'and means for regulating the size of the passage-ways. into the vacuum chamber or suction-box, and means for regulating the inclination of the table.

4. In a dry ore concentrator, the combination 'with a reciprocating table and a vacuum chamber or suction box 'having openings therethrough located above the surface of the table, a hopper, and a tube extending from the hopper through the vacuum chamber or suction box to the upper end of the table.

5. In a dry ore concentrator, the combinationwith a table having sides, of a vacuum chamber or suction box fitted between the sides with air--tight joints, means 'for adjusting the vacuum chamber or suction box with respect to the surface of the table, and an elastic partit-ion at the upper end of the table extending between the head of the latter to the bottom of the vacuum chamber or suction box.

6; In a dry ore concentrator, the combination with a rified table, of a vacuum cham-A 'ber or suctionbox having a ribbed, slotted bottom, the ribs of which extend downwardly and alternatewith-the riiiies on the table.

7. yIn a dry o re concentrator, the combination with a riffled table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box having a ribbed, slotted bottom, the ribs of which extend downwardly andalternatewith the riiiles on the table, and means for adjusting the vacuum' chamber or suction box with respect to the surface of the table.

8. In a dry ore concentrator, the combina- 4 tion with a riiied table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box having a ribbed, slotted bottom, the ribs of which extend downwardly and alternate 'with the riiies on t-he table, means for adjusting the vacuum chamber or suction box with respect to the surface of the table, and means for varying and regulating the size of the openings in the bottom of .the vacuum chamber or suction'box. f y

' 9. In a dry ore concentrator,'the' combination with a shaking "table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box adjustably connected therewith, and having passage-ways therethrough, with means for circulating acurto carry oit the light particles at the top, so that clean concentrates are left to discharge at the outer -end of the table, and means for regulating the size of thevacuum t chamber thereby controlling the velocity of the air current.

10. Ina dry ore'concentrator, the combination with a riiled table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box having a ribbed, slotted bottom, the ribs of which extend' downwardly and alternate with the rifHes `on the table, and means for adjusting the i nation with a shaking table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box adjustably lconnected therewith, and having passage-ways therethrough, with means for circulating a current of air over the table, land thence yinto the vacuum chamber or suction box whereby to carry oit the light particles at the top, so that clean concentrates are left to discharge at the outer end of the table,

and means for varying the space at different points between the table surface and the bottom of 'the vacuum chamber or suctionbox and means for varying the current over different parts o f the table.

12. In a dry ore concentrator, the combination with a table, of a vacuum chamber or suction box, the bottom of which is slotted, and means for vadjusting and regulating the size of the slts, the bottom being bodily adjustable whereby the parallelisml with the surface of the table may be regulated.

13.v In a dry ore concentrator, the combination with a table, of a vacuum chamber or 4'suction box having an adjustable bottom, and means for raising and lowering one endl ofthe vacuum chamber 'or suction-box with respect to the corresponding end of the table.

' 14. In a dry ore concentrator, the :combi nation with a riiied table, of a vacuum chamber or suction-box having a.A ribbed slotted bottom, the ribs of which extend downwardly, and means for adjusting said bottom with respect' to the sides and top of the vacuum chamber or suction-box.

In testimony whereof I atlix my l.signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED H. KIDNEY. Witnesses:

HENRY M. KYIDNEY, WILLIAM' F. REDPATH.

(Jopies of this patentv mayv he obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. QJ 

